Personal Wi-Fi Security

Do I really Need to Secure my Home Wi-Fi?

Other people connecting to your home Wi-Fi may not be the biggest security threat to you, but it still should raise some concerns. In most cases this will result in reduced bandwidth as part of your connection is being used by some one else. And depending on your service plan, this could increase your cost. In some cases your Wi-Fi just might be used to preform illegal activities as the authorities may identify you as the culprit

Prevent Wi-Fi Based Attacks

Many hackers seek out unsecured networks because they make easy access to the Internet. They can scan your traffic to find sensitive information, steal your passwords, hack your other devices or even find your home address

Secure Your Router

Some unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be exploited to break into your router. This gives Hackers even more options. They can turn your router into a part of their Botnet to hide their illegal activities, use it for Crypto Mining, or passively monitor your traffic with continuously running scripts

How to Secure Your Wi-Fi

First (and we recommend doing it now). Change your Wi-Fi password. This is the basic and probably the best security method that helps to prevent unauthorized access. Keeping the factory default or having no password is like having a public Wi-Fi. Anyone can use it just by connecting. Change it to a good Password using these tips

Change the Default Settings

Many routers come with factory default passwords, SSIDs (your network name), and other details that hackers can easily find online. Change anything you can that will not affect the actual functionality of your router.Especially change the default one to a strong password

Filtering MAC Addresses

You can improve your Wi-Fi security even more by filtering the MAC Addresses of the devices you want to connect to your network. This makes it almost impossible for other devices whose MAC address has not been added to your Network to actually connect to you

SSID Broadcasting

Your SSID is broadcasting at all times. It will make it easier for new devices to find and connect to your Wi-Fi. But the draw back is it will make it equally as easy for hackers to find it too. These signals can be easily scanned and transformed into heat maps that show where certain networks are. These maps are readily available to average users or stalkers, too. However, you can turn off SSID broadcasting to protect your home network. Disabling your SSID will mean that you will have to manually enter your Wi-Fi name when looking for your Wi-Fi network

Disable UPnP

Most Routers have UPnP enabled by default. UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) will help external devices connect automatically and find other devices on your network. This could present many vulnerabilities as your router will not question whether connections coming from the UPnP protocol are trustworthy. In this way hackers can use a UPnP connection to connect to your network. Without UPnP you will have to manually configure port forwarding. However, this is worth doing because it improves your overall network security

Logging Out of your Router

Some Routers may be vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting attacks. These are difficult to defend yourself from as they target the websites you visit rather than the router itself. Also most Browsers save your log-in info so you can log in easily the next time. If you forget to log out of your router’s web interface, hackers can use it against you, leak your login details and breach your network

Set Encryption on the Router

Did you know that you can Encrypt your router? You can do this by going to your router’s security settings and find the "Encryption" section. It is always recommended to use at least WPA2 and nothing less than WEP encryption

Disable Remote Access

You can configure your router through your Browser. All you need to do is enter your Router’s IP address into the Address Bar of your browser. You should only be able to do this when connected to your local network. But some routers offer Remote Access, this means you can alter a router’s settings even from any where. If this feature is enabled hackers may be able to access your Router without credentials, user-name or password. To turn it off, open your router’s web interface and look for the "Remote Access", "Remote Administration", or "Remote Management" feature. Most routers will have it disabled by default. Was yours?

Windows Firewall

Using Windows? make sure that your firewall is turned on. It will filter and block potentially harmful programs from communicating with your device and will protect your network. You can check whether it is on by typing "firewall" in the search bar, Click on "Windows Defender Firewall", and see if Windows Defender Firewall is "Connected". If it is not, on the left side click on "Turn Windows Defender Firewall On or Off"

Updating your Router

The software that runs on your router is like any other software and it will need to be updated. Router manufacturers tend to issue firmware updates to patch security holes that old software might have. Most Router will not remind you to do this the way Windows or your operating system would. To check whether you need to update your firmware, go to your router’s web interface. Most routers will indicate when the software was updated last and whether there is a new version

Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

This step will actually secure your devices AFTER they connect to your Wi-Fi, not in the local area while they connect. Enabling a VPN with your router may have trade offs, but it will make Every device that connects to your Wi-Fi more secure
Read RSH Web Services review on NordVPN

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